Old lava, new trails: Exploring remote Kahuku on Big Island

Found near mile marker 70.5 on the mauka (mountain) side of Highway 11, southwest of Kīlauea and the main body of the park, the Kahuku section is already open weekends from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., except the the first Saturday of the month. Now new trails and expanded guided hikes are offering the opportunity to learn more about the unique area.

The new 4.5-mile Kona Trail (pictured below), a moderate hike between 3,880 and 4,440 feet above sea level, covers diverse terrain as it loops through lava from the 1887 Mauna Loa flow, native forests and “native plant restoration areas” (more on those below), providing dramatic vistas of the Ka‘ū coast, including Ka Lae (South Point.) Four-wheel drive is recommended for the steep, rocky road to the trailhead from the Kahuku entrance, about 5.5 miles away, with parking at the Lower and Upper Glover trailheads.

Park rangers will lead several guided hikes through Kahuku this fall, including two three-hour hikes. “People and Land of Kahuku” travels two miles and through the centuries as rangers discuss the region’s history from the time of the first Hawaiians to current restoration plans; it’s offered Sept. 9, Sept. 22, Oct. 14 and Nov. 10. Rangers will also accompany visitors on the new Palm Trail, a “relatively easy” 2.6-mile loop that passes by the results of 1868 eruptions and the remains of native forests and the ranch years, with panoramic views; guided hikes take place Sept. 15 and 29. For either of the hikes, meet at the visitor contact tent near the ranch buildings at 9:30 a.m., and bring raingear, water and a snack; wearing boots and long pants are recommended.

Less easy but perhaps even more rewarding, the “challenging,” five-hour Kīpuka ‘Akihi adventure offers the chance to see some of the isolated area’s rare plants and wildlife and to help them by removing invasive plants such as kahili ginger. Participants are asked to wear sturdy hiking shoes, long pants, sunscreen and a hat and to brin raingear, garden gloves, a day pack, insect repellent, lunch and water; they should also “be prepared to scramble over fallen trees, lava rock and slippery, wet terrain.” (Hmm, perhaps the Palm Trail is more my speed.) The next expeditions take place Sept. 23, Oct. 21 and Nov. 24 starting at 10 a.m. at the visitor contact tent.

Meanwhile, the park is also seeking public input on its restoration plan and environmental assessment of some 7,400 acres in Kahuku formerly used as cattle pastures. Noting that “cattle grazing, mechanical clearing and thick mats of pasture grass have caused the loss of native plants and habitats,” a press statement earlier this month said efforts to reintroduce native plants, such as koa trees, could take decades. The park has already tested small-scale techniques to restore native species, it continued, “including a koa seed germination project that shows potential to suppress the growth of pasture grass. Additional experiments are needed to determine the most effective techniques for this large landscape.”

Interested parties may submit comments on the restoration and environmental assessment online, or by maiingl them to the park, Attn: Superintendent, P.O. Box 52, Hawaii NP, HI 96718-0052; responses must be received by Sept. 10.

Kona Trail 1

Hikers explore the newly opened Kona Trail in Kahuku, a former ranch added to Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park in 2004. / NPS Photo by Jay Robinson

A park ranger leads a hike along the new Kona Trail in the Kahuku section of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park./ NPS Photo by Jay Robinson

SideRoadPasture

Not all of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park is lava-covered. In the Kahuku section, a barely visible side road leads through a pasture. / NPS Photo

puu lokuana fall 05

The park's Kahuku unit includes a World War II-era radar station and a cinder cone called Pu‘u O Lokuana, seen in the distance. / NPS Photo